A BUDDING Houdini found himself strapped into a stretcher when he accepted a challenge at a Cornish tourist attraction.
Padiham youngster Matthew James, 10, agreed to have a go at freeing himself from the new stretcher while his family were visiting the Poldark Mine Heritage Complex near Heston.
The equipment is used to help in an emergency underground so rescuers can lift an injured person to safety without them hurting themselves further.
John McLeod, owner of Poldark, said: "Once you're strapped into the stretcher you simply can't get out - so we thought we would introduce the Houdini challenge as a bit of a fun thing as well."
Matthew also got to meet Eric Gale, chief mine guide, who recalled how he had once helped to bring an injured man to safety out of a mine on the same type of stretcher.
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